Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-06-20
4 sTRsNGI sTo8Y.

exciting incidents. was scientifically
successful.
A STRANGE STORY.
A Polite HOung Man Makes o Fearful
Mistake Which Ends in a Probable
Tragedy.
s. b. Hunt in Home Soholasticee: 1t
was 2 o'clock in the evening of the 29th
of March, 1855, and the western express
on the Uniton Pacific was rushing on
ward through the vast and open space OF
prairiesthat lies along its route. The
night was one OF the widest / ever re-
member, and the rain dashed in sheets
against the car windows, while the deep
rnmbling OF thunder often mingled with
the noise OF the train. | had been read
ing the greates part OF the day, and as
the light in the car was poor, / amused
myself by studying the faces OF my fell
low travellers; for it is always very inter
esting to observe the different express
sions of persons in q railroad car, when
they are absorbed in thought and entire
iy unconscious that any one is looking at
them. / was especially attracted by
the pleasant features OF an elderly
lady, who, with q boy OF
aboat fourteen years, evidently her son,
was sitting opposite me; and as I was
specializing whittier she and the boy were
bound, she leaned over and asked me If
| would be kind enough to tell her when
we arrived at the station of Wakefield,
! replied that ! should be pleased to be
of service to her, and found out from
the conductor when next he passed that
the town where she wished to get off
would be our next stop.
Although the cars OF 1865 were not
nearly as comfortable as those that now
run on ell the railroads of this country,
yet in contrast with the wind and rain
outside they seemed pleasant. As the
stations are many miles apart in the less
civilized portions of the western states
through which this railroad passes there
are but few stopping places. l settled
myself as comfortably as the seat al
lowed, and, listening to the beating
rain and the storm without, gradually
fell asleep.
| must have slept two or three hours.
when suddenly / awoke, and finding
the train had, come to q stop, helped the
woman and her son safely down the
steps, and the train moved Oh; but as
the wind blew the rain into my face,
nearly binding me, / was glad to return
to my seat, and settle myself down again
into the warm car. / had been seated
only a short time when the conductor
passed along, and as he punched my
ticket inquired where the people had
gone who had occupied the seat oppo-
site mine. / told him I had helped them
off in safety OF our last stopping place.
| have never since bsheld such o look OF
horror on ary mans c~ountenanoe as
as passed for o moment over his face;
but suddenly stepping MP up he seized
me by the shoulde- and exclaimed in a
tone 30 excited aa to be almost O whis-
per: EDO you know what you have done
by putting the woman and her boy off
at the last station? The place where We
last stopped was not o settlement as
your supposed, but only a tank where
we took in water for the engine" What
was I to do2. Without my knowing
it | had left the wonan and her
son out in that awful storm IN the
midst css,the prairie, more than a hundred
miles from any human begngs; besides,
as ii was Saturday night, no trains would
pass them until Monday. I rushed into
the engine, and told the whole story to
JAZZ at SRS OhtSCupknk AkA1G 10 I6buTE,
but he would not, for he said he was not
at liberty to go back under any circum-
stances, and he feared that hs might get
into trouble or lose his place by return
ing. Almost wild with rage at the
cowardice OF the man, I had to return to
my seat, and wait until we should grriye
at the next Station which took fully half
an hour. When / look back on that
time, it seems TO have been the most
fearful thirty minutes OF my life, for all
though | was scarcely TO Blame. and it
Was through 0 mistake that they had
been left on the praisie, yet the thought
of that woman and her CON out on that
wild night, and that / was perfectly
powerless to go to their assistance,
drove me naarly to despair.
When at last we reached the next town
i was able to procure o locomotive, and
we started for the water tank as fast as
steam could carry MS. We reached the
place as the first faint streaks of ap-
preaching dawn were visible in the east,
but saw nothing of either woman or
child, end although the prairie for miles
around was searched, I have never been
able to find anything that ggre the
slightest clew TO their fate. This awful
tragedy made a deep impression upon
me, and after o long attack of what my
physician termed prostration, L
slowly recovered; but the adventure OF
that fearful night still haunts me like O
spectre, and on dark and rainy nights,
when the wind means through the trees
outside my window, the figures OF that
woman and her boy disappearing
through the rain are yivldly pictured on
my imagination.